Mapping stakeholders' positioning in the access and delivery partnership value chain: the case of the RTS,S malaria vaccine introduction in Ghana.

OBJECTIVES: As population needs continuously evolve new technologies have to find ways to address healthcare challenges. Inputs of key stakeholders are critical when adopting new technologies. Our objective was to map stakeholders along the Access and Delivery Partnership value chain framework (ADP) in relation to the RTS,S malaria vaccine introduction in Ghana. METHODS: Stakeholders engaged with the SAVING consortium were identified and an online questionnaire distributed to map stakeholders positioning in relation to the ADP framework. A workshop was also held to validate findings and to examine the decision processes in adopting new interventions. RESULTS: 31 stakeholders responded the questionnaire reporting their involvement in the ADP framework, most of them identified with stages close to "service delivery", as opposed to the preceding research and regulatory stages. A few stakeholders were seen as having the highest interest and influence on vaccine introduction. CONCLUSION: There is an imbalance between Ghana's high demand for vaccines and its Research and Development (R&D) capacity, similar to other African countries. Enhancing upstream R&D capacity and fostering more inclusive stakeholder contributions could strengthen the pathway to new technologies adoption.